Fountain toothbrush



Jan. 6, 1942. H, P, DUEY y 2,268,928

FOUNTAIN- TOOTHBRUSH Filed Nov. 8, 1959 42 W W W ??fgww 1 H5 59 .zal 12 4 40 {JIM/who@ i? lrazd i Patented Jan. 6, 1942 'Application November s, 1939, serial No. 303,414

8y Claims.

This invention relates to a fountain brush and particularly pertains to a tooth brush'of the type embodying a reservoir in the handle thereof for a liquid dentifrice and including means for eifectign deliveryof the dentifrice from the reservoir to the bristles of the brush. l

An objectl of the invention is to provide an efficient and conveniently operable means for dispensing the liquid dentifrice fromthe reservoir in the brush handle including a combined pump and valvey structure'and a manually operable means therefor arranged in the brush shank and interposed .between the reservoir andthe brush head. r i

Another objectis to provide a construction in the brush head and inthe combined pumpv and valve structure whereby the latter may be readily operated in a manner to effect Vdelivery of vthe liquid dentifrice from the reservoir in the brush handle to the base of bristle tufts carried bythe brush head. f.

Another object is to provide a combined pump and valve structure for a fountain tooth brush which is so formed and arranged as not to be subject to accidental operation thereby obviating unwanted discharge of dentifrice to the brush. A further object is to provide a pumpv and the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, showing the manner of directing the pumped dentifrice to the base of the bristle tufts.

Referring to the drawingmore specifically 8 indicates a tubularA tooth brush handle which is closed at one end lby a demountable cap 9 and is xedly connected at its othery end to a shank ID having a convergent outer end portion leading to and connecting with atooth brush heady I I. lThe cap 9 is formedwith an externally threaded nipple I2 which 'isv detachably screwedl .into engagement with internal threads I3 formed in the outer end portion of the tubular handle 8; the nipple I2 being formed with apassage I4 opening at the tip v.of the nipple to the .interior of thefhandle and connecting with a valve chamber I5 formed in thejcap 9 and in which chamber Valve chamber I5.

tooth brush construction in which the liquid With the foregoing objects in View, together( with such other objects and advantagesas'may subsequently appear, the invention iscarriedinto effect as illustrated byway of example vin the accompanying drawing, in which: j r

' Fig. lis a view in side elevation with a portion broken awayv of a tooth brush embodying the invention; y j r y y Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail in horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing'th combined pump and valve structure; I f

Fig. 3 is a view in verticalsection taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 depicting the manner of operating the combined pump and valve structure;

Fig. 4 is adetail in inverted plan and partly in section as seen in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View in section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; and

is disposed a ball check valve IB normally seated on the inner margin of an air inlet I1 under the urge of a spring I8 bearing between the valve and a plug I9 constituting an end Wall of the `lThe shank I0 constitutes a combined pump and valve housing and is formed at its enlarged end with a recess 20 bordered by an annular ange 2| which is fitted into the tubular handle 8 and is securely fastened thereto. as by means of an adhesive'or a cement. Thereduced endof the` shank I0 is formed with a transverselynextending tongue 22 that is snugly fitted into a companion groove 23 formed kon `the inner end of ythe brush head I I; the tongueand groove beingof dove-tail cross section whereby the parts are joined by sliding the tongue and grove lengthwise'relative to each other into theirinter-engaged position. Thebrushghead ispreferably detachably connected to the shank I0 by the dove-tail construction just described so as to permit interchange of brush heads when desired. Howlever vthe brush head and shank may be permanently fastened together` by cementing the doveftail joint. Extending` axially through the shank I0 is acylindrical bore 24 which opens at one end to the recess 20 rand opens at its other end through the tongue 22, and which bore is formed of increased diameter at the end portion thereof leading into the recess 20 to form a cylinder 25 in which is mounted a pumppiston 26 carrying a resilient valve 21 on one end thereof the valve being arranged in the recess 20 and being adapted to seaton the bottom wall 28 thereof.

Leading from the recess 20 through its bottom wall 28 is a pair of parallel passages 29 and 30 Fig. 6 is a detail in cross section taken on 55 which extend on opposite sides of the bore 24 and open into the latter through grooves 3I and 32 formed in the end face of the tongue 22; the ends of the passages in the recess 20 being covered and normally closed by the Valve 21. These passages are quite small in diameter, so much so as to restrict the flow of liquid therethrough and prevent the free surging of liquid back and forth through the passages on operation of the pump piston as will hereinafter be fully described.

Reciprocation of the pump piston and the valve thereon is effected manually through the medium of a slide 33 located at the underside of the shank I0, which slide is mounted on a stem 34 connected to the side of the piston 26 intermediate the ends thereof through a slot 35 formed in the shank IIJ. The outer face of the slide 33 is serrated to afford a grip for a thumb or finger by which it is to be moved back and forth longitudinally of the shank in effecting operation of the pump and valve assembly.

The slide 33 is partly recessed within the shank I0 so that only the serrated face thereof will protrude from the outer face of the shank whereby the slide is protected and also guarded against being accidentally shifted. v

The brush head II is formed with a central longitudinally extending bore 36 which is closed at its outer end and opens at its inner end at a point to register with the bore 24 in the shank I0 when the head and shank are assembled, the bore 36 extending between the base portions of parallel rows of bristle tufts 31. The base portions of the bristle tufts are wrapped in a binding 38 and are cemented in sockets 39 formed in the brush head in a conventional fashion. Diametrically opposite sides of the bore 36 intersect the sockets 39 through ports 40 from which passages 4| paralleling the base portions of the bristle tufts open to the latter at the juncture of the bristles with the face of the brush head from which they protrude.

In the operation of the invention a liquid dentifrice is placed in the tubular handle 8, the cap 9 being removed to admit placing of the liquid in the filler opening then afforded by the open end of the handle; the cap being replaced after loading the handle reservoir by screwing the threaded nipple I2 of the cap 9 into engagement with the threads I3 on the handle. The body of liquid in the handle will act by reason of the weight thereof to normally hold the valve 21 against its seat 28 thus obviating equipping the latter with spring closing means although there may be occasion where such spring closing means may be employed as by interposing an expansible spring 42 between the stem 34 and an end wall of the slot 35 shown in Fig. 3.

When it is desired to effect delivery of the liquid dentifrice, or a portion thereof, to the bristles 31, the brush is held with the head thereof lowermost and the slide 33 is engaged by a thumb or finger and is manipulated to effect reciprocation of the pump piston 26 movement of which is imparted to the valve 21 so that the valve is alternately retracted and advanced relative to its seat 28; the valve being moved away from its seat as the piston 26 is retracted and being moved toward its seat as the piston is advanced. Retraction of the piston 26 creates a suction in the cylinder 25, bores 24 and 36, grooves 3I-32, passages 29-30, and to a slight extent in the passages 4I when the bore 36 is empty but to a negligible extent, if at all, when the bore 36 is filled with liquid. As this action of the piston starts, the valve 21 moves from its seat as ndicated by broken lines in Fig. 3 and thereby opens the passages 29-30 to the body of liquid dentifrice contained in the handle 8, so that the suction induced in the passages 29-30, coupled with head of liquid in the then up-ended handle, causes liquid to pass through the passages 29--30 and grooves 3I--32 into the bore 24 and cylinder 25 and also into the bore 36 in event it be empty. On advance of the piston 26 liquid confined in the cylinder 25 will be forced therefrom into the bore 24 and thence into the bore 36 in the brush head, and when the cylinder 25, bores 24 and 36, grooves 3I32 and passages 29-30 are lled with the liquid advance of the piston will cause a portion of the liquid to pass through the ports 40 and passages 4I to the bases of the several bristle tufts 31.

In initial operation of the pump several reciprocations of the piston will be required in order to effect filling of the several spaces in the shank and brush head, but when such spaces are filled but one reciprocation of the piston will effect discharge of liquid to the bristles.

However, vit is not essential that the spaces in the brush head and shank be completely filled in order to effect delivery of liquid to the bristles; since advance movement of the piston against air entrapped in the spaces will cause liquid confined in the bore 36 to flow to discharge through the ports 40.

The fiow of liquid from the handle 8 to the passages 29--30 is facilitated by provision of the valved air intake I1 in the cap 9, in which the valve I6 will be unseated by outside air pressure on air pressure being reduced interiorly of the handle by displacement of liquid therein.

However it is desirable that the liquid shall not flow freely from the reservoir in the handle to the pump chamber, since such might occasion flooding of the brush, and accordingly such flow is prevented by reason of the restriction afforded by the smallness of the passages 29 and 30.

By provision of the construction set forth only a modicum of the liquid will be dispensed on a single operation of the pump, and on release of the slide 33 the Valve 21 will come to rest on the seat 28 thereby closing the passages 29-30 and thus preventing leakage of liquid from the handle to the brush head. Closing of the passages 29-30 by the valve 21 relieves liquid therein of pressure, which with the minuteness of the discharge ports 40 and passages serves to hold the liquid confined in the spaces in theshank and brush head against leakage from the latter.

It should be noted that the passages 29 and 36 are of such small diameter and thereby so constricted that when the brush is held in a substantially upright position or in a vertical position, the pressure provided by the head of the liquid in the handle will prevent appreciable surging, that is, back ow of liquid through said passages; the liquid following the course of least resistance and thereby discharging through the multiplicity of ports 4U into the bristles.

I claim:

1. In a fountain tooth brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passage and ports therein through which liquid may be applied to said bristles, a tubular handle connectedy to said vhead and having its bore communicated at one end with said passage, a pump piston reciprocable in and dividing said bore so that the portion between the piston and the outer end of the bore may serve as a liquid reservoir and portion befrom'said bore for by-passing liquid around said Y piston from the reservoir portion tothe pump barrel portion of said bore,`means for reciprocating the piston, and a valve member between the piston and the reservoir portion of the bore for f controlling said by-pass passage responsive to the strokes of the piston.

2. In a fountain tooth brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passageand ports therein through which liquid may be applied to said bristles, a tubular handle connected to said head and having its bore communicated at one end with said passage, a pump piston reciprocable in and dividing said bore so that the portion between the piston and the outer end of the bore may serve as a liquid reservoir and portion between asid piston and said passage may serve as a pump barrel, means affording the introduction of liquid into the reservoir portion of said bore, said handle having a passage therein apart from said bore for by-passing liquid around said piston from the reservoir portion to the pump barrel portion of said bore, means for reciprocating the piston, and a valve member carried on the outer end of the piston for controlling said by-pass passage.

3. In a fountain tooth brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passage and ports therein through which liquid may be applied to said bristles, a tubular handle connected to said head and having its bore communicated at one end with said passage, a pump piston reciprocable in and dividing said bore so that a portion thereof between the piston and `the outer end of the bore may serve as a liquid reservoir and a portion thereof between said piston and said passage may serve as a pump barrel, means affording the introduction of liquid into the reservoir portion of said bore, said handle having a passage therein apart from said bore for by-passing liquid around said piston from the reservoir portion to the pump barrel portion of said bore, means for reciprocating the piston, and a valve member carried by the piston and disposed at the juncture of the reservoir and pump barrel portions of the bore for controlling said by-pass passage.

4. In a fountain tooth brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passage and ports therein through which liquid may be applied to said bristles, a tubular handle connected to said head and having its bore communicated at one end with said passage, a pump piston reciprocable in and dividing said bore so that the portion between the piston and the outer end of the bore may serve as a liquid reservoir and portion between said piston and said passage may serve as a pump barrel, means affording the introduction of liquid into the reservoir portion of said bore,

said handle having a passage therein apart fromr said bore for by-passing liquid around said piston from the reservoir portion to the pump barrel portion of said bore, means for reciprocating the piston, a valve member between the piston and the reservoir portion of the bore for controlling said by-pass passage responsive to the strokes of the piston, and spring means operating through said piston for normally holding said valve closed.

5. In a fountain tooth brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passage and ports theretherein communicated directly at one end with one end of said passage, a pump vpiston reciprocable in and dividing said bore so that one portion of the bore serves as a pump barrel in direct communication w1th said passage and the remainder of the bore serves as a reservoir, said handle having a valve chamber betweenr and communicated with the pump barrel and the reservoir portions thereof, said handle having a passage apart from said bore and leading from the valve chamber to the pump barrel portion of the bore for by-passing liquid around the piston,

means for moving said piston, and a valvev member carried by the piston and operating in said valve chamber for opening and closing said bypass passage.

6. In a fountain tooth brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passage and ports therein through which liquid may be applied to said bristles, a tubular handle connected to said head and having its bore communicated at one end with said passage, a pump piston reciprocable in and dividing said bore so that a portion thereof may serve as a liquid reservoir and another portion may serve as a pump barrel, means affording the introduction of liquid into the reservoir portion of said bore, said handle having a passage therein apart from said bore for bypassing liquid around said piston from said reservoir portion to said pump barrel portion, means for reciprocating the piston, and a valve between the piston and the reservoir portion of the bore for controlling said by-pass passage responsive to the strokes of the piston, said by-pass passage being so constricted that when the brush is disposed in upright position the pressure produced by the head of the liquid therein will restrain back flow of liquid through the said by-pass passage.

1- 7. In. a fountain tooth brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passage and ports therein for conducting liquid to said bristles, a shankA connected at one end to said head and having a bore therein in alignment and communication with said passage, said bore having a counternected' to the head, said last named end of the shank having a recess therein communicating the by-pass passage with the inner end of said bore at the outer end of the passage in the head, a pump piston in the pump barrel portion of said bore, -a valve member xed to the outer end 0f said piston for operation in said valve chamber to control said by-pass passage, a tubular handle member connected with the outer end of said shank in direct communication with said valve chamber land adapted to contain a liquid, means affording the'lling of said tubular handle and means for operating said piston.

8. In a fountain brush, a head having bristles thereon and a passage and ports therein for conducting liquid to said bristles, a shank connected at one end to said head and having a bore therein in alignment and communication with said passage, said bore having a counter-bore between its ends forming a pump barrel, and also provided at the outer end thereof with another counter-bore forming a valve chamber, said in for conducting liquid to the bristles, a handle f connected to the head and having an .axial bore n shank having formed therein apart from said bore by-pass passages extending from the valve chamber and along opposite sides of said bores through the end of the shank connected to the head, said last named end of the shank having recesses therein communicating the by-pass passages With the inner end of said bore at the outer end of the passage in the head, a pump piston in the pump barrel portion of said bore, a valve member fixed to the outer end of said piston for operation in said valve chamber portion of the bore to control said by-pass passages, a tubular handle member connected with the outer end of said shank in direct communication with said valve chamber and adapted to contain a liquid, means affording filling of said tubular handle, and means for operating said piston.

HAROLD PALMER DUEY. 

